Kodak Petite (1929–1933/34)
A compact Art Deco camera designed for women, produced as a colored variant of the Vest Pocket Kodak Model B.
Overview
The Kodak Petite is a compact camera made by Kodak from 1929 to 1934, marketed primarily to women with an attractive Art Deco design. It is a colored version of the Vest Pocket Kodak Model B, featuring a diamond-pattern body covering and available in five colors: green, blue, gray, lavender, and old rose. One known variant includes a turquoise and purple step-pattern faceplate with desirable colored bellows. Designed by Walter Dorwin Teague, the camera uses 127 film and features a meniscus lens with a single-speed rotary shutter and "T" (Time) exposure setting.
Specifications
| Film Format | 127 |
| Lens | Meniscus lens |
| Shutter | Single-speed (+T) rotary shutter |
| Aperture Settings | f/8, f/16, f/32, f/64 |
| Color Variants | Green, blue, gray, lavender, old rose; turquoise & purple step pattern |
| Film Number | Al27 |
Design
The Kodak Petite features a diamond-pattern body covering and a step-pattern faceplate in select color variants, including turquoise and purple. Its bellows are noted for their distinctive coloring, contributing to its appeal among collectors. The camera has no lens or body movements, and the design emphasizes compactness and style over technical flexibility. Alcoholic solvents must not be used when cleaning the camera or carrying case.
Context
Introduced in 1929, the Kodak Petite was part of a marketing effort aimed primarily at women, reflecting the era's trend of styling consumer goods with Art Deco aesthetics. A related product, the Kodak Coquette introduced in 1930, included a Petite camera packaged with a matching lipstick and compact, reinforcing its positioning as a fashionable accessory.
Market
A vintage green Kodak Petite with original bellows was listed for $195.00 in recent years, indicating its collectible status. Instruction manuals are available through archival sites including cameramanuals.org, pacificrimcamera.com, and butkus.org.
eBay Listings
As an eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our independent vintage technology research.